Product Description:
Includes liner notes by Don Ovens.
Though it's plainly impossible for one CD to encapsulate the very best of even one aspect of Duke Ellington's long, prolific, and multifaceted career, the 1989 compilation THE BEST OF DUKE ELLINGTON makes a valid attempt at summarizing the bandleader's '40s big band work.
At 12 tracks and 39 minutes in length, this compilation only has room for the very best, and with the best-known recordings of classics like "Satin Doll," "Rockin' in Rhythm," "Flamingo," "Prelude to a Kiss," and the legendary mood piece "Black and Tan Fantasy," that's just what THE BEST OF DUKE ELLINGTON offers. With musicians like Paul Gonsalves, Cat Anderson, Johnny Hodges, and Ray Nance, the Ellington orchestra was at its peak during this era, and probably the finest big band in jazz history. Though fans can argue for hours about what else should have been included, THE BEST OF DUKE ELLINGTON is a fine introduction.
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